It is well known in the art to provide shelving. Commonly, such shelving systems include a plurality of rectangular panels having four sockets integrally formed in the comers of the panels. Each successive panel is connected to an adjacent panel by four posts receivable within the sockets. Although such devices perform adequately, such devices could be improved upon. Specifically, shelving of the above mentioned character often do not provide sufficient resiliency to deformation. Once the shelving is loaded, such shelving often allows for stresses to concentrate in the region surrounding each of the sockets. Secondly, once loaded not only are stresses concentrated in the regions surrounding each of the sockets, but strain often concentrates towards the geometric center of each panel. Accordingly, such panels often bow once loaded. Together, the above described deficiencies reduce the maximum load that such shelving is capable of withstanding. If the maximum load is exceeded, the shelving may ultimately fail.
In order to overcome some of the above disadvantages other shelving devices have been suggested. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,158 to Wareheim discloses providing shelving having a beam structure disposed around the periphery of the panel and a beam disposed along the median portion of the panel. Wareheim also discloses providing a plurality of diagonally oriented vertical braces.
Although the device to Wareheim advances the art, Wareheim has also been found to have several deficiencies. Specifically, the beam structure of Wareheim may increase the structural rigidity of such panel members. However, the beam structure is substantially linear in shape. In contrast, the strain realized within each panel is commonly nonlinear. With a linear distribution of material, some regions may have an insufficient amount of rigidity due to an insufficient amount of material disposed within a particular region. Similarly, other regions of the panel may have adequate rigidity with an optimum amount of material usage. While still other regions may prove to have an necessarily high amount of rigidity with a corresponding waste of material. In summary, a linear distribution of material is an inefficient use of material within such panels.
A second disadvantage found in the device to Wareheim is that stresses are allowed to concentrate adjacent each of the sockets. Although the diagonally disposed vertical support ribs assist in reducing the stress concentration, a substantial amount of stresses are still allowed to concentrate in this region thereby limiting the load capable of being applied to such panels or requiring additional material to be added around such sockets.
Accordingly, one skilled in the art can appreciate that several advances could still be made in the art. Specifically, it would be desirable to have a shelving system that reduces the strain realized within each panel. It would be desirable to have a panel which optimizes material usage thereby providing a shelving system which is capable of bearing a maximum load while also requiring a minimum amount of material. It would further be desirable to reduce the stresses realized adjacent each of the socket members.